make less trash, minimize, simplify & be happy

When our boys started school two years ago, I loved making lunches. I felt like a real mom! But the thrill has worn off, and now the task of cleaning out the old lunches and prepping and packing the new ones seems slightly daunting. As with grocery shopping and dinner planning, I’ve got to be uber organized to stay on top of my near-o waste lunches. When my daily whirlwind in the kitchen is over, I feel exhausted, accomplished, and (still) like a real mom.

Here’s a typical lunch-making week in the life of this Near-O Waste, part-time-teacher, full-time-mom…

Monday’s lunch: Peanut butter and jam sandwich, spinach salad with peaches and balsamic vinaigrette, apple, and plain yogurt mixed with unsweetened apple sauce. (This would have been a good day to pack a banana instead of an apple and avoid the redundancy!) After school snack: Jamba Juice smoothie and soft pretzel.

What makes it Near-O: The spinach, peach, and lemon (for the dressing) were purchased using cloth produce bags. The dressing was made with bulk olive oil, purchased using my own jar. The bread for the sandwich was purchased (unwrapped) at a local bakery using a cloth bread bag and the peanut butter was purchased in bulk using my own jar. The applesauce and yogurt were purchased in glass jars. The Jamba Juice went straight from the blender into my water bottle and the pretzel went from the oven into my pan.

Recyclable waste created: After many more batches of dressing, I will ultimately recycle my empty balsamic vinegar bottle. I will reuse the mustard jar (another dressing ingredient), the jam jar (from the PB&J), the applesauce jar, and the yogurt jar.

(Visible) trash created: the pieces of waxed paper that were used to pick up my loaf of fresh bread and my pretzel. I’d *almost* prefer a bare (clean) hand!

Tuesday’s lunch: Sliced apple with peanut butter, cheese, banana muffin (no added sugar), and potato chips. After school snack: dried mango and pretzels. Pretty monochromatic, now that I’m looking at a the picture!

What makes it Near-O: The apples were purchased using a cloth produce bag. The peanut butter, dried mangoes, and pretzels were purchased in bulk using my own jars. The ingredients for the banana muffins were purchased in bulk using my own jars or in recyclable glass containers.

What makes it Near-O: The veggies, apple, and lemon for the salad dressing were purchased using cloth produce bags. The dressing was made with bulk olive oil. The granola, peanut butter, trail mix, and papayas were purchased in bulk using my own jars. The milk comes in a returnable glass bottle. The bread for the sandwich was purchased (unwrapped) at a local bakery using a cloth bread bag.

Recyclable waste created: balsamic vinegar bottle and the plastic cap to the milk jar. I will reuse the mustard jar (another dressing ingredient) and the jam jar (from the PB&J).

(Visible) trash created: the piece of waxed paper that was used to pick up my loaf of fresh bread.

What makes it Near-O: The ingredients for the overnight oats and banana muffins were purchased in bulk using my own jars, in recyclable glass containers, or (like the milk) in a returnable bottle. I acquired the ham this way. The bagels were purchased at a local shop and placed directly into my pan.

What makes it Near-O: The yogurt was purchased in a glass jar, which I repurpose when empty. The store I shop at accepts empty egg cartons for reuse. The muffins were purchased at a local bakery and placed directly into my pan.

Recyclable waste created: I reuse my yogurt jars and jam jars.

(Visible) trash created: the piece of waxed paper that was used to pick up my muffins.

3 thoughts on “What’s for Lunch, Mom?”

Thanks so much for this post! I’m always looking for ideas (as close to waste free as possible) for my pre-schooler’s lunch. And here I found some. I’ll take notes next week as you did. Our lunches look so much different, it’s very interesting. I’d love to go to the school and see all the lunches that the kids bring.